Coin and slug separating device



PATZER ET AL l COIN AND SLUG SEPARATING DEVICE Filed larch 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO er and j A. Trafsch William Pat Walfer r Mm THEIR ATTORNEYS.

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v s L 3 m m n m Aw 1; wmn 1. o c 0w m a m M v INVENTOR. William Pm ar and L ZIIIerA. Trazsch M T R ATTORNEYS Patented May 16, 1939 PATENT OFFICE COIN AND SLUG SEPARATING DEVICE William Patzer and Walter A. Tratsohf Chicago, 111.

Application March 16, 1936, Serial No. 69,147 V 6 Claims (Cl. 194-101) This invention relates to a coin arating device.

It is an object of this invention to provide an and slug sepimproved coin and sing separating device which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efficient in use. 7

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved coin and slug separating device for preventing fraudulent coins, tokens, slugs, etc., from entering into or operating a coin-operated machine or apparatus with which the new coin and slug separating device is associated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved device for preventing a magnetically attractable or steel slug from entering into or operating the machine or'apparatus with which the new coin and slug separating device is associated.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for ejecting amagnetically attractable or steel slug out of the coin chute, which is embodied in and forms a part of the new coin and slug separating device, and into a discharge chute which is associated with the same.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a'new and improved device for preventing a fraudulent and relatively light slug, such, for example, as a paper or cardboard disc, from operating a machine, apparatus orthe like with which the new selecting device is associated.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel device for ejecting a relatively light slug, such for example, as a paper or cardboard disc, or the like, out of the coin chute, which is embodied in the ,new device, and into a discharge outlet which is provided in the same.

Another and important object of the present invention is to provide a novel device for effecting a selectionbetween fraudulent slugs or tokens,

such as brass, copper, lead, zinc, and aluminum.

' slugs or discs, and a coin having the intended and proper metallic composition, such-as a nickel, dime, quarter or the like.

A further object of the present invention 'is to provide a novel device for eflecting a separation between fraudulent slugs or tokens, such as brass, copper, aluminum, leadand zinc slugs and the like, and a coin having the intended or proper composition, such as a nickel, dime, quarter, or the like, whereby the fraudulent slugs will be discharged or diverted from the coin chute of the device onto a discharge outlet proin section and partly in elevation;

vided therefor, in the device, and the coin having the proper and intended metallic composition will be discharged from the coin chute into another dischargeoutlet which isprovided in the device for the reception of the same. 6

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by ref- 10 erence to the accompanying drawings showing the pref erred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. l is' an elevational view showing a preferred form of the new coin and slug separating device;

Fig. 2 is a view on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, partly Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view on line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 80 inFig.3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, on line H in Fig. 2, showing the coin chute and the several selecting or separating devices embodied in the invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-8 in Fig.

1 showing the permanent stationary magnet embodied in the new device for creating eddy currents in the coin chute;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 1'I in Fig. 2 30 showing part of the discharge chute for steel and paper slugs and the like; and Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the new coin and token selecting device, on line 88 in Fig. 1.

A preferred embodiment of the new coin and 35 token selecting device is shown in the drawings, is therein generally indicated at I0, and comprises a body II in which is formed a tortuous coin chute, which is generally indicated at l2. Formed in the body I i are two inlets I3 and I4 40 to the coin chute 12, the inlet l3 opening upwardly or vertically and the inlet i4 opening laterally or horizontally so that coins or tokens may be inserted into the coin chute IZ either from above or from the side of the same.

The coin chute 12 includes an inclined upper portion l5 (Fig; 5) and formed in one wall ii of this portion l5 of the coin chute I2 is a slot or opening 11.

Pivotally mounted,,as at It (Fig. 4), upon the 50 body ll of the new selecting device is a magnet carrier i9 and mounted on and carried by this member I9 is a bar magnet 20, one edge 01' which projects through the slot or opening I! which is formed in the wall i6 of the upper'portion I! of the coin chute I 2, for a purpose to be described. presently.

The magnet carrier I9 comprises a pair of plates I9a and I9b (Figs. 3 and 4) each having an elongated opening the same length as, but of less width than, the magnet 20. The outer plate I9!) is provided with spaced slots which flt onto a pair of spaced hooks I9c formed on the larger plate I91), and the smaller outer plate I911 having means such as the screw I9d clamping the plates together on that side of the magnet 26 opposite the hooks I96, whereby the magnet is flrmly clamped with its inner edge portion 2I exposed through the opening I1 in the chute.

The pivoted magnet carrier I9 has an ofiset arm 22 (Figs. 3 and 4) and projecting into a position between the body I I of the coin chute and the arm 22 of the magnet carrier I9 is a pin 33 which iS carried by an operating lever 32. This operat ing lever 32 is pivotally mounted, between its ends,

as at 3|, upon the body I I of the device.

Pivotally mounted on the body II of the new device, as at 25, (Fig. 2), is an operating lever 24 and this operating lever 24 carries a pin 23. This pin or extension 23 of the lever 24 projects between a member 34 and an offset arm 35 of the latter (Fig. 4) and the member 34 forms one wall of the upper portion I6 of the coin chute I2 and is Attached to the body I I of the coin chute I12, at

one side thereof, (Figs. 4 and 7) is a member 31 and this member 31 cooperates with the body II of the device to form a discharge chute 38 for magnetically attractable or steel slugs, and also for relatively light slugs such as paper, and cardboard slugs and the like, as will be described hereinafter.

Provided in the coin chute I2, at the lower end of upper portion I6 thereof (Fig. 5) is a deflector 39, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter, and fo'rmedin the bottomwall 40 of the coin chute I2, adjacent the deflector 39, is a recess or pocket .66 (Fig. 5) which leads from the coin chute I2 into the discharge chute 38.

The coin chute I2 includes a portion 4I (Fig. 5) which is inclined in a direction which is opposite to the inclination of the upper portion I6 of the same, and pivotally mounted in the coin chute I2, at the entrance to the portion 4 I thereof, as at 42, is a gate 43 by means of which r atively light slugs such, for example, as cardboard and paper (Fig. 5) which extendssubstantially parallel to the upper portion I6 of the same and at an angle relative to the portion 4I The coin chute I2 also includes a lower portion which extends in an opposite direction relative to the inclination of the portion 44 of the same and at its lower end this portion-.45 of the coin chute is enlarged and bifurcated or divided so as to form two diverging branches or discharge outlets 46 and 41.

Pivotally mounted, as at 46, in the lowermost portion 45 of the coin "chute I2, between the branches or discharge outlets 46 and 41 of the same is a deflector 49, This deflector has a relatively sharp-pointed upwardly extending projection or nose portion 50 and this deflector 49 is adjustable about its pivot 46 by means of a screw and slot connection 5I-52 with the side wall 53 of the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute I2.

Likewise pivotally mounted in the lowermost portion 44 of the coin chute I 2, asat 54, (Fig. 5) but above the deflector 49, is a second deflector 55 and this deflector 55 has a screw and slot connection 56--51 with the side wall 53 of the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute I2. This deflector 55 has a pointed projection 62, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. I Mounted upon opposite sides of the body II of the device between the upper and lower ends of the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute I2, is a pair of permanent magnets generally'indicated at 56. These magnets are preferably of the horseshoe type and includes a magnet 59 which is arranged on one side of the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute I2 and a complementary magnet 60 which is arranged on the opposite'side of the same. 3

Operation If a magnetically attractable disc or token is inserted into the coin chute I2, through either of the two inlets I3 and I4 thereto, (Fig. 5) it will travel by gravity down the uppermost portion I6 of the coin chu'te I2, along the bottom wall 6| of the same, until it comes opposite to or into alignment with the slot or opening I1, whereupon it will be attracted by a portion 2I of the magnet 20 and will be held thereby in the uppermost portion I6 of the coin chute I2 and against traveling farther down the same, and the thus held magnetically attractable or steel disc or slug will be held in this position (as at A, Fig. 5) until the plunger 28 is operated, as will now be described.

In'order to release the thus held magnetically attractable or steel slug from the uppermost portion I6 of the coin chute I2, and so as to clear the latter for the passage of the intended 'or proper coin, the operator of the device pushes in on the plunger 26 (right to left, Fig. 2). plunger 28 is thus pushed in, its inner end portion or head 21 engages the lower end portion 26 of the lever 24 and thereby pivots the latter, at 25 (clockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 2).

'When the operating lever 26 is thus pivoted (clockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig.2) lever 32 pivots in an opposite direction and the lateral extension or pin 33 carried thereby engages the offset arm 22 of the magnetcarrier I9 and thereby pivots the latter, at I8, (counten clockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 4) thereby moving the magnetic portion 2I away from the uppermost portion I6 of the coin chute I2 and away from the slot or opening I1 which is formed in the latter, thereby releasing the magnetically attractable or steel slug from the position in which it is held, at A, Fig. 5, whereupon the thus released magnetically attractable or steel slug will fall into the discharge chute 36 (Figs. 4 and 7) since the movable side wall closure 34 has likewise been pivoted outwardly to open up the chute passage and permit the released coin to move sidewise out of the same. This pivotal movement occurs when arm 26 pivots so as to When the cause the lateral pin 23 thereof to bear against the extension 35 and urge closure 34 outwardly.

More specifically, when the plunger 23 is pushed in (right to left, Fig. 2) and thereby pivots the lever 26, at 25 (clockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 2) the arm 63 of the lever 26 engages the arm 64 of the lever 32, thereby pivotmg the latter, at 3! (counterclockwise, from full to dotted 'line position, Fig. 2). During this movement of the lever 32 the lateral extension 33 thereof. engages the offset arm 32 of the carriermember l9 and thereby pivots the latter, at l8 (counterclockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 4), thereby withdrawing the magnet 20 from the slot l1, whereupon the magnetically attractable or steel slug which was previously held in the uppermost portion IQ of the coin chute l2, by the magnet 20, will drop, by

. gravity, out of thelatter and oil from the bottom lines, Fig. 4).

wall 6| of the same (as indicated'at 65, Fig. 4) into the discharge chute 38, and in this manner a magnetically attractable or steel slug is ejected from the coin chute l2 and is prevented from traveling down the latter into the discharge outlet 41 through which the intended and proper coin or token must be discharged in order to operate themachine or apparatus with which the new device is associated.

When the plunger 28 is released, the magnet carrier i9 and the member 34 will pivot, by gravity, back into their initial positions (as in full the coin chute 12 through either of the inlets l3 and I4 thereto, it will roll by gravity down the bottom .wall 6| of the uppermost portion I6 of the coin chute i2 and will roll oil from the said bottom wall 6i of the portion ii of the coin chute l2 onto the deflector 39 by which it will be deflected, along the dotted line path B, Fig. 5, against the pivoted gate 43, from which it will be deflected or will rebound downwardly into the pocket or opening 66 (Fig. whence it will fall into the discharge chute 33, and in this manner a relatively light slug or disc, such as a cardboard or paper slug will be prevented from passing down the coin chute l2 into the discharge outlet 41 for the intended andproper coin.

If a coin'or token of the intended and proper size and metallic composition, for example, as a nickel, is inserted into the coin chute i2, through either of the two inlets i3 and i4 thereto, the said coin will travel by gravity down the uppermost portion I 6 of the coin chute i2, and will strike the deflector 33 by which it will be deflected, along the path of the full line arrows C, Fig. 5, against the gate 43, thereby pivoting the latter at 43, (clockwise, from full to dotted line position, (Fig. 5). The intended and proper 'ioin, being heavier than a relatively light disc or slug such as a cardboard or pivot the gate 43 into open by the same, whereupon the portion 44 of the coin chute i2 and into the lowermost portion 45 of the same.

As the coin having the intended and proper metallic composition passes down the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute l2 it will heretarded or slowed up only slightly by the eddy currents setup in the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute i2, and hence will drop out of the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute l2 onto the upright point or projection 50 of the deflector from which it will travel (along the path D,

paper disc, will thus it will continue down along the dotted line position and will pass indicated by full line arrows, Fig. 5) into the discharge outlet 41. It is to be noted at this point, that the eddy currents set up in a coin moving down the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute 12, through the fleld of the magnets 53, will retard or slow up only slightly a coin which has the intended and proper metallic composition such, for example, as a nickel, as the latter runs down the lowermost portion 45 of .the coin chute i2, and hence-the intended and proper coin will have suflicient momentum, when it leaves the lowermost portion chute i2, to move past the point 53 of the deflector 43 and into the discharge outlet 41 of the coin chute l2.

However, if a fraudulent coin or token, which is made of a metal or alloy different from that of the intended coin, such for example, as lead, brass, zinc, or copper and aluminum slugs, is inserted into the coin chute l2 it will travel by gravity down the latter, in the manner hereinbeiore described relative to the intended coin and will, as it passes through the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute l2, be slowed up slightly by the eddy currents which are set up therein by the magnet 53 so that when the said fraudulent coin or token emerges from the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute 12 it will not havesufflcient momentum to move past the deflector 49- 50 into the discharge outlet 41 for the intended coin and hence will follow the dotted line path E, Fig. 5; and as the said fraudulent coin or token follows this path E it will drop down onto the point 50 of the deflector 49, and it will engage the projection 50 of the deflector 49 at one side of its vertical center and will be deflected thereby into the discharge outlet 46. In this manner a fraudulent coin or token which is comthe metallic composition of the intended and proper coin is prevented from traveling from the coin chute 12 into the discharge outlet 41 of the same and is directed into the discharge outlet 46.

In the event that the metal used in the fraudulent slug is less aifected by the eddy currents set up by the magnet 58 intended and proper coin it will, upon emerging from the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute l2, have more momentum than the intended and proper coin and hence will strike the point 62 of the deflector 55 by which it will be deflected path F,'F,ig. 5, into thedlscharge outlet 46.

It is to be noted, in this connection, that when the metal of the intended coin, such, for example, as silver, is afl'ected to a greater extent by the eddy currents, resulting from passage through the field of the magnets 58, than is themetal of which the fraudulent slugs are composed, then, in that event, the foregoing arrangement of the outlets46 and 41, Fig. 5, and which arrangement is speciflcally designed for a nickel coin chute, must be reversed so that the intended coins will fall into the discharge outlet 46 and the fraudulent slugs will fall into the outlet", since in this event the intended coins will be slowed up more by the eddy currents of the magnet 58 than the metal slugs will be, and hence the intended coins will fall into the discharge outlet 45 and the metal slugs will fall into the discharge outlet 41.

It will be noted (Fig. 5) that the deflectors 55 and 49 may be adjusted, by means of their screw and slot connections 5651 and 5l-52, respectively, so as to compensatethe deflectors than is the metal of the 45 of the coin.

for wear upon the points 62 and 50, respectively, thereof, and to compensate the deflectors for loss of strength by and in the magnet 58 and resulting changes in the strength of they field set up thereby across the lowermost'portion 45 of the coin chutel2.

It is also to be noted, in connection with the present device, that if an attempt is made to operate the same fraudulently, by tipping the device out of its normal and proper operating position (counterclockwise, Fig. 5) the fraudulent slug will acquire so much momentum, as it travels down the lowermost portion 45 of the coin chute II, that it will engage the deflector 55 and will be deflected therefrom downwardly into the discharge outlet 46.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to'protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin chute including a substantially fiat body providing a descending chute passage having a sidewise drop-out opening in one wall portion thereof and pivoted gate means normalLv closing said opening, magnetic means carried by a pivoted member mounted on the wall of said chute opposite said gate means and normally positioning a magnet member close to said passage, together with lever mechanism for moving both said gate means and.v pivoted member laterally of the chute body, said mechanism including a pair of levers pivotally mounted at an edge of said body for movement in a plane normal thereto, one of said levers having a yoke-like cam formation and the other said lever having a cam finger receivable in said cam formationwhereby said levers are interconnected for joint movement, said levers respectively having operative connection with said gate means and pivoted member to move the same laterally as aforesaid responsive to movement of one of said levers.

2. In a device of the class described, means providing a descendingcoin passage having an elongated slit in a side wall thereof and extending in. a general directionof the passage, said passage having a discharge opening extending substantially the length of said slit in a wall of the passage .opposite thereto, gate means mounted for movement toward and away from said passage to open and. close the latter, a magnet carrier mounted for movement toward and away from said slit, mechanism for moving said gate ical contact with said coins when said carrier is moved toward said passage, said gate and magnet carrier being arranged and constructed normally to move by gravity toward said passage.

3. In a deviceof the class described, means arsaaoa providing a descending coin passage having a discharge openingbetween its ends and a dropout opening at a lower level than said discharge opening together with rebound means positioned in said passage for engagement by a coin to effect extending in the direction of movement of coins in said passage, closure means normally closing said discharge opening, and mechanism for simultaneously opening said closure means andmoving said magnet away from said passage to effect release of magnetically attracted coin ele- ,ments, said elements tending to be discharged through said discharge opening or said drop-out opening.

4. The device of claim 3 in which said passage is provided with an elongated slit in a wall portion thereof opposite said discharge opening, said magnet being further characterized by the provision therein of an elongated edge portion fitted into said slit so as to lie in close proximity to said passage for attracting magnetically permeable coin elements and setting up eddy currents in metallic coin elements passing said magnet when the same is positioned close to the passage.

5. In a device of the class described, a body providing a coin passage and'testing means including a pair of plate members having elongated registered openings therein and clamped together with an elongated magnet of greater width than said openings and seated in the latter so as to be clamped between said plates with a longitudinally extensive portion of said magnet projecting laterally through said openings beyond the plane of a particular one of said plates, said particular plate being pivotally mounted on said body for movement toward and away from said passage whereby to position said projecting portion of the magnet in close proximity to the passage, said plates being engaged on one side of said magnet by book and slot formations and being provided with means urging the plate members together on the opposite side of said magnet.

6. In a. device of the class described including a body providing a coin passage having an entrance and an exit end, testing means including a pair of plate members having elongatedregistered slots therein, an elongated bar magnet clamped between said plates in said slots and having an edge portion lying between its polar extremities exposed substantially beyond the plane of one of said plates, said clamp plates being movably mounted on said body to dispose said edge of the magnet against the latter so as to extend substantially in the direction of said passage, said body having an elongated slit adapted to register with said edge portion of the magnet, said clamp plate members being arranged normally to dispose said edge of the magnet in register with said slit, and means for moving said plate members to withdraw said edge from said slit.

WILLIAM PATZER.

WALTER A. TRATSCH. 

